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UAE to begin 5G network roll-outs in early 2018, says TRA

5G networks are a key step as the UAE moves towards the concept of 'smart cities'

By Staff writer

Sun 24 Dec 2017 03:41 PM

The deployment of 5G networks in the UAE will begin in early 2018, according to the country’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

According to TRA, the introduction of 5G in the UAE facilitates the implementation of the UAE’s larger national goals, including the widespread adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart cities and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. It will facilitate the handling of large amounts of data between machines and will expand the speed and capacity of multiple folds of Gigabits per second, allowing for new services to be provided.

Additionally, the 5G technology will enable to the UAE to achieve its global competiveness objectives, including being ranked first globally in the online services index (OSI) and among the top 10 in the world in the network readiness index (NRI).

"We are proud to be among the first countries that apply 5G technology in telecommunications, which is in line with our leadership's directives and the UAE Vision 2021, placing our country in its deserved position among the top countries of the world,” Said TRA Director-General Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori. “In the last few years, the telecommunications sector has been the main driver of all the progress in all development sectors.”

“However, rapid global developments and the transition of humanity to the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution have enhanced the status of this sector, making it the main nerve of major digital transformations, and the incubator of evolution on all tracks including science, economy, education or other vital fields,” he added.

As part of its initiative to launch IMT2020 (5G) services in the UAE, the TRA has formed three commitees working under the supervision of the UAE 5G steering committee.

The telecommunications authority will support the suitability of some of these bands and supports initiating 5G technology early deployment in the following bands for before the year 2020: 1427-1518 MHz, 3300-3800 MHz and 24.25 – 27.5 GHz.

"We are optimistic that we will be able to achieve the objectives of the next phase, building on our accumulated achievements in the telecommunications sector and on our strategic plans that take into account current and future global developments, and based on the efforts of licensed operators who have always demonstrated their support for our leadership’s vision for the future and their will to contribute in making it for the benefit of our future generation," Al Mansoori said.

Additionally, Etisalat announced that it had successfully launched pre-commercial 5G in certain areas of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which Etisalat Group CEO Saleh Al Abdooli was a part of the company's "digital transformation journey" as it works to provide 5G services at a number of events in the coming years, including Dubai Expo 2020 and the World Government Summit.